2003 Track and Field

indoor track & field

Bluffton squads earn high finishes at ONU

by Nate Smith

The Beavers' track and field teams took a strong contingent to Ohio Northern Friday
night, and returned feeling even stronger.

Bluffton placed third out of six in both the men's and women's team scoring competitions,
with a number of top individual finishes and new indoor school records gained in the
process. The women claimed four first-place finishes on the evening, while the men
claimed two more. The women totaled 83 points throughout the meet, while the men compiled
76. Both teams finished behind host Ohio Northern and Huntington (NAIA).

Leading the way for the women was freshman sprinter Rita Muether. Muether broke two
Bluffton indoor records with her performances in the 55 and 300 meter races. Her time
of 7.93 seconds in the 55 meters placed her second in that event, and she later picked
up a victory in the 300 meters with a time of 43.95 seconds, breaking the old record
in that event by over two full seconds. Also setting a new Bluffton standard on the
track for the women was freshman Stephanie Welch, who ran 1:28.59 for the 500 meters
while placing third overall. Welch also claimed an individual title in the high jump.
Other event winners for the Beavers included Michele Bailey (So.), who claimed the
victory in the weight throw, and the women's distance medley relay team of Welch,
Lauren Borga, Kirstie Dravenstott, and Jennifer Creamer. Dravenstott also established
an indoor record in the triple jump, with a jump of 28'11" in her first-ever competition.

The men's top performances began in the field events, where junior Clint Dillon bested
his own indoor record in the pole vault with a winning vault of 14'6". Dillon was
joined in his record-setting performance by freshman sprinter Al Pearson, who set
a new 300 meter indoor record with his time of 37.95 seconds, tying him for third
overall in the meet. Other event winners for the Bluffton men included their distance
medley relay team of Dan Rosebrock, Floyd Ward, Andy Schiefer, and Steve Borga, a
team which finished 42 seconds in front of second-place Wilberforce. Rosebrock also
established a new indoor record for the Beavers in the 1000 meters, with his time
of 2:41.80.